Thieves targeted the official residence of Inspector General of Police Islamabad, Nasir Ali Rizvi, cutting telephone cables worth millions of rupees early Sunday morning.
Media reports indicate that between 3 and 4 am last night, thieves struck outside the government houses where the IG resides, severing telephone cables and disrupting communication services. The theft resulted in the shutdown of all telephone numbers in the area. The incident comes amidst a rising tide of street crimes in Islamabad, with over 10,500 cases registered in 2022, involving a staggering 4 billion rupees in losses from civilian armed robberies, thefts, and snatchings. Illegal Afghan migrants have been implicated in the surge of theft and robbery incidents in the federal capital.
Reportedly the presence of small Afghan gangs in Islamabad, often linked to such criminal activities. Investigations into seized mobile phones frequently reveal ties to Afghanistan, indicating a transnational aspect to the crimes.
The escalation of street crimes is symptomatic of broader socio-economic challenges facing the country, including poverty, inflation, and unemployment. As incidents of robbery and banditry continue to plague Islamabad, authorities are grappling with the complex dynamics fueling the surge in criminal activities.–INP
